News that Porsche->ke1 was given a trademark for the GT5 name in May 2015 gave birth to rumors that Weissach might be planning to launch a new high-performance model in the future. The big question here is what Porsche model will get the GT5 badge?

It's quite the mystery, as the iconic 911->ke282 has had the GT3->ke617 name for more than a decade, and the Cayman->ke5 has just received a GT4 version. Moreover, the Boxster,->ke570 also rumored to get a GT variant, regained its Spyder iteration, which is pretty much a GT4 without a rear wing. Squeezing a Boxster GT4 into the current lineup would be next to impossible. This leaves us with only three existing models that have yet to spawn GT versions, none of which are sports cars.->ke506 I'm obviously talking about the Panamera->ke1840 sedan->ke142 and the Cayenne->ke212 and Macan->ke2674 SUVs.->ke145

But do any of these performance family cars really need a GT5 version with a bigger focus on track performance? After all, the Panamera and the Cayenne are already available in GTS specification, while the Macan is likely to get one too.

Could Porsche use this new trademark for a brand-new nameplate or an upcoming four-cylinder version of an already existing car? Obviously, there's more than just one scenario here. We decided to have a closer look at them and decide which might make better sense for the GT5 trademark. Also, each of the speculative models below come with their very own rendering courtesy of our talented artist.

Continue reading to find out more.

Porsche Panamera GT5

Of all the cars in the current Porsche lineup, I think the Panamera is the most likely to get a GT5 version. A track focused Cayenne or Macan would be too ridiculous, even for Porsche. This doesn't mean a Panamera GT5 would make a lot more sense, but if Stuttgart decides to expand the GT family beyond its sports car, a sedan would be its first choice. Naturally, the Panamera GT5 would be based on the GTS model.

Visual updates would include a more aggressive front bumper and side skirts, a more racy rear diffuser, lightweight wheels and, of course, GT5 badges. For the first time, the Panamera would also receive a fixed rear wing. Though Porsche is planning to replace the current naturally aspirated, 4.8-liter V-8 in the GTS, the GT5 should be an all-motor sedan. Not necessarily more powerful than the GTS, the GT5 would stand out by means of race-spec engine internals, a lowered, high-performance suspension system, and ceramic composite brakes. The improved aerodynamics and handling would probably make it the quickest sedan around the Nurburgring.->ke999

Is the Panamera GT5 a good idea? While I wouldn't be comfortable with the idea of Porsche diluting its GT lineage with a sedan, today's market would more than welcome such a vehicle. And I bet there would be plenty of enthusiasts looking get their hands on a Porsche that can be both a family hauler and a track car. But will Porsche actually build it? I think not, but stranger things have happened.

Porsche 911 GT5

Yes, I know a 911 GT5 sounds ridiculous considering the nameplate already has the GT3, but bear with me on this one. Porsche's main goal with the recently launched Cayman GT4 was to allow the mid-engined sports car to finally reach its full potential. Also, Stuttgart wanted to give its customers a more affordable alternative to the 911 GT3, besides delivering the track-focused model Cayman fans have been asking for so many years. What if Porsche decided there's also room for a more affordable 911 GT3 that's also a 911? One that uses the upcoming four-cylinder engine as motivation?

It's far-fetched, yes, but not if Porsche wants the turbo-four sports car to be more than just an entry-level 911. Building one on the same principles as the GT3 wouldn't be difficult, but Porsche would probably want to tone things down a bit visually. This would make the 911 GT5 less aggressive than the GT3 design-wise. A significantly smaller rear wing would contribute to that. Of course, output should also be significantly lower than the GT3's current 475-horsepower rating. About 400 horses would be enough to place the GT5 at the top of the four-cylinder 911 family without stepping too much into GT3 territory.

Much like the Panamera GT5, the 911 GT5 isn't very likely at this point, but anything can happen over the next few years. Just like it decided to build a four-cylinder 911, Porsche could make a case for a GT5-badged model too at some point.

Porsche 718 GT5

This scenario may sound a bit too complicated as it presumes Porsche will introduce a new nameplate, but it makes sense in more than one way. Firstly, the alphanumeric designation of current GT cars, GT3 for the 911 and GT4 for the smaller Cayman, suggests the GT5 could be assigned to a model smaller than the mid-engined compact. Secondly, such a scenario would allow Porsche not to dilute its GT lineage with a sedan or complicate it with a turbocharged, four-cylinder 911.

This new nameplate I'm talking about would be the much-rumored 718,->ke4866 a small, two-seater that would take over as Porsche's entry-level sports car, slotting right below the Boxster. Originally an open-cockpit race car->ke148 built between 1957 and 1962, the 718 would also return as a roadster.->ke1418 At first glance it might not make sense for Porsche to offer a convertible->ke144 GT, but what might happen here is that Porsche could also build a coupe,->ke141 as it did in the early 1960s. It was named the GTR Coupe and went on to win the 1963 Targa Florio. Heritage problem solved, right?

The perfect scenario: Porsche would launch the 718 as both a coupe and roadster and later introduce a performance, 718 GT5 version of the coupe and a similar variant of the roadster. For the latter, Stuttgart would have plenty of options to name it. It could either use the Spyder moniker to further establish the 718 as a baby Boxster or revive historical names such as the 718 W-RS or 718 RSK.

The design of these cars would be similar to the Cayman/Boxster range. Although smaller and lighter than the Cayman GT4, the 718 GT5 might sport many of its cousin's design cues. The rendering above provides plenty of answers in that respect and shows how Porsche might reinterpret the 718 for the 21st century. Notice the lack of side intakes and the smaller rear wing, as well as the vertical gills on the rear fenders, the original 718's trademark design feature. Power would be provided by a four-cylinder engine, most likely a modified version of the 1.6-liter four-pot that's rumored to motivate the upcoming base Cayman/Boxster.

Although Porsche head of R&D Dr. Wolfgang Hatz announced the 718 project was axed in late 2014, word from our Stuttgart insiders is that the Germans are still working on it. Development of the baby Cayman/Boxster will likely continue once Porsche launches the updated mid-engined sports cars with the new four-cylinder mills. The 718 GT5 might not arrive sooner than 2019, but it's the most likely scenario of the three presented here. And with the sports car market expanding at a constant rate, Porsche is probably already pondering a switch toward volume, which a model such as the 718 would allow from a pricing standpoint.